Category Archives: Staff

Maritessa Bravo Ares serves as the Director of Community Engagement for California at Beneficial State Foundation. In this role, Maritessa spearheads community relations strategy in multiple markets, drives new initiatives from concept to execution, and develops the next generation of socially-responsible leaders through the flagship fellowship program. She is attracted to big, ambitious ideas as catalysts for social change and has a strong passion for people, justice and equity.

Annie graduated from San Francisco State University in 2011 with a degree in International Relations and an emphasis in South Asia economic development. Prior to graduation Annie spent a month in northern India volunteering with a school for the deaf and blind and with female entrepreneurs, helping them market their businesses and sell their goods.

Emma Guttman-Slater is a proud Oakland resident who brings a love for people and a curiosity about life to her work. As the Strategic Communications Director at Beneficial State Foundation, Emma runs initiatives aimed at changing the banking system for good. She believes that everyone is an investor and that finance can be a tool for equitable, transformative change.

Symone Jackson, a Bay Area native, graduated from Santa Clara University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in political science. Prior to joining Beneficial State Foundation as the Social Media & Digital Engagement Manager, she was selected to participate in a journalism fellowship for Fusion Media Network, where she reported on community safety, police-community relations, and immigration.

Erin Kilmer Neel is passionate about building more humane, equitable, and sustainable local economies by supporting and ensuring that businesses are a force for good. To that end, Erin currently serves as Deputy Director and Chief Impact Officer at the Foundation, where she supports overall Foundation operations and helps to protect, strengthen, measure, and communicate the social and environmental impact of Beneficial State Bank. (more…)

Salvador Menjivar is the Executive Director of Beneficial State Foundation. Salvador has been in positions of leadership in the private and nonprofit sectors for over fifteen years. While attending school in New York he helped launch an import-export company brokering and selling organic foods from Latin America. He has also directed political campaigns on behalf of the California Democratic Party. (more…)